Stamp-handling mechanism



R. P. SMITH.

STAMP HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5,1916. I 1,332,578. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. P, SMITH. v STAMP HANDLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5,1916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

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APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6 1916- 1,332,578. Patented Mar. 2,1920..

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R. P. SMITH.

STAMP HANDLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. 1916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- R. P. SMITH. STAMP HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 6. I916- Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

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STAMP HANDLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5,1915- Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

JZZZZ K l v jflifig ziy j FIFE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT 1?. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

SERVICE INVENTION & DEVELOPMENT GOMEALNY, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

s'ranenannmne MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed October 6, 1916. Serial No. 124,014.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBE-RT P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Handling Mechanism, oi which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in stamp handling mechanism and the like and, in some of its features, it has to do particularly with a power-operated stamp-dispensing mechanism suitable for use in a coin-controlled stamp-vending machine, carrying it: stamp-stock in roll forml Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a stamp-delivering mechanism that will positively expel the stamps and will positively prevent surreptitious withdrawal of more stamps than the proper iunctioning of the machine has caused to be ejected; that willoperate under the control of appropriate manual control-instrumentalities to deliver variable quantities of stamps of dififerent denominations at the will of the user; that will be easy to operate and yet substantially proof against such iii-aloperation as might injure the mechanism; that automatically will compensate for variation, within practical limits in distances between perforation rows in the stamp strips; that is adapted to be automatically controlled by, and is capable of automatic control over associated machine elements; and that is simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in operation.

Other and further objects of the.invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated an embodiment of the invention in a form particularly intended for use as part of a coin controlled stamp-vending machine, although in simplified form appropriate portions of the mechanism may be used in simple machines for handling stamps and delivering them individually.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away of the stamp section;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

2 is a r-presentation, made diagrammatic, for purposes of simplicity of illustration only, of certain supplemental parts that complete a self-contained coin-operated vending machine embodying the present invention, such diagram being substituted for detailed illustration of much more complicated apparatus with which, commercially, the mechanism embodying this invention is in fact associated.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sections on line 38, el4 and 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on line 6-6 of Fig. 7

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are enlarged sectional details of the stamp moving wheel.

The specific mechanism shown is adapted for the handling or vending of two rolls of stamps of different denominations, for instance specifically, one-cent stamps and twocent stamps, and the machine as a whole may vend at one operation any number of either or both kinds of stamps that will total, in value, a certain amount.

The stamp strip handling means.

plate of the frame, to a throat 25 leading tangentially to a pin-feed stamp wheel or delivery wheel 26 that may pass the stamps out through a mouth or orifice 27.

Of course the stamp strips, exposed to view in the channels 24:, are closed by glass suit ably secured to overlie the strips, but the glass may be part of an exterior cabinet not forming part of the present invention. lVith respect to the mechanism for handling the two stamp rolls, many parts are duplicates, and in general, only one of such duplicated parts is herein'enumerated, the other kindred part being indicated by a similar numeral difierentiated by the exponent prime In commercial practice it 1s true that in perforation distance.

rolls of stamps provided by the Government the spacing between perforation rows in the stamp strip varies quite materially, say, as much as 1/32 or more, so that the stamps are not all of the same size; and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that will automatically compensate for such differences in stamp size and afford a pin-feed in which the pins invariably register with the perforations of the stamp-strip.

Figs. 6 and 7 especially show the mechanlsni for feeding the stamps. The head 30 and plate 31 bound the throat 9.5 that guides the stamp strip tangentially to the stamp wheel 26, and the stamp wheel is rotatable upon the shaft 32 mounted in the head 30. The stamp wheel, as best shown in Fig. 7, has projecting from its periphery equallyspaced rows of center-apex, tapering pins 33 that at their tips are (circularly measured) slightly farther apart than the normal dis tance between perforation rows, and at their butts are slightly less apart than such stamp- Axially the pins co"- respond in spacingwith the lateral separation of the perforations in the Government stamp strip. Between suitable groups of the pins are formed peripheral grooves 3-1, one of which preferably occurs about the middle of the wheel. The Wheel 26 has fastened thereto a spur gear 35 by which it is driven, and of course the two wheels are independently rotatable on their shaft.

The upper portion 30 of the stamp head is cut away to give the wheel free clearance, except adjacent to the mouth 27, where it provided with fingers 36 that reach in to the grooves 34: of the wheel in order to strip the stamps positively from the wheel. The shell section 30 completing the head 30 has ribs 38 that extend between pins of adjacent courses on the wheel, and that are clear of the periphery of the wheel body to leave a stamp-strip clearance of material depth. This shell section is suitably cut away, as at 39, opposite one of the grooves 34- of the wheel, and its edge 40, which forms a lip of the mouth 27, is sharp-edged to facilitate tearing oif the stamp strip upon ejection of a stamp. The parts are so arranged that the stamp wheel, in its normal operation, always stops, as shown in Fig. 6, with a row of pins directly opposite the tearing edge -5t0, and in practice it is found that however carelessly one may tear off the ejected stamp or stamps, the last ejected stamp tears clearly along the perforated-line adjacent edge40.

With respect to the cooperation of the wheel and ribbed casing, it will be seen from Figs. 8 and 9 that the stamp strip (1 may take various positions with respect to the tapered, center-apexed pins 33 in the clearance space provided between the ribs 38 of the shell and the surface of the wheel. If the tip of the pin can engage the perforation at all, as shown in Fig. 10, then accordingly, as the stamp, which is having its rear edge so engaged, is long or short, said stamp will be carried forward, so to speak, by the newly engaged pin, if the stamp be long, or backward, if the stamp be short. Thus variations in lengths of the individual stamps of the strip, at least within about half of the diameter of a stamp-perforation, may automatically be accommodated without tearing or enlarging of the perforation, the longer stamps riding near the outer periphery of the clearance as shown in Fig. 9 and shorter stamps near the inner periphery of the clearance, as shown in Fig. 8, and the requirements of space imposed by a freshly engaged stamp being compensated for more or less by shifting in or out of the stamp or stamps in advance, already riding on the wheel. In practice the leeway thus aiiord ed is found ample to accommodate the variations in stamp lengths as rolled stamp-strips are issued by the Government. Once a row of pins engages a row of perforations, if only the bare points of the succeeding pins catch in the next row of perforations, the included stamp Wrlll ride in such position, either close to the periphery of the shell or close to the wheel as best accommodates the stamp length, and through long passages of varying-length stamps the pins Will work without ever getting out of register.

The provision of idler rollers 22, 22 for the stamp-strip-ro-lls somewhat above the bottom of the tray in which said rolls rest both lessens the friction resistance to stamp feeding and tends to take up slack As the down-course of the stam strip is pulled upon, the roll of stamps tends to and usu ally does ride up somewhat on the 1dler 9.2, which turns freely, and the braking act1on of the bottom of the tray against the roll is lessened or overcome. Furthermore when the weight of the stamp roll causes it to drop back after a feed has taken place, the tendency of the roll is to tlghten the forward and downward course of the un-rolled stamps and so slack is automatically prevented.

Stamp wheel selection and (here.

While the stamp-strip-handling construction hereinbefore described may be used in many forms of stamp and ticket dispensing machines, wherein perforated strips are employed, these features are herein shown especially in a power-operated machine and to' it either of theitwo stamp wheels may be gearco-nnected" alternatively, for operation of either wheel. to-eject a single.

extension shaft 47 that traverses the frame 20 and that has mounted thereon companion gears 48 and 48, either one of which, ac-

cordingly as the extension shaft is shifted fully to left or right, may cooperate with the appropriate gear 49 or 49 mounted on a stud on the frame 20. The gear 49 is permanently entrained with the gear 85 that is mounted on one-cent stamp wheel 26, the train comprising pinion's 51, 52 and 35.

Similar provision is made with respect to gear 35' of the other stamp wheel. Each train is so arranged that a single rotation of shaft 47 willresult in feeding movement of the stampwheel that is entrained therewith through an are included between two successive rows of pins, this 'desideratum being accomplished in the particular construction by the train-proportioning and by the provision of intermittent gears 48 and 49. The stamp wheel may not be rotated inde pendently of shaft 45, for the hub and stripped portion of gear 48 coacts constantly, except when a wheel 49' or 49 is being driven, with a concaved lockingprojection 50 on gear 49 or 49'.

Selection 07' the desiredv stamp strip,

der proper conditions may operate an ap-' propriate selector lever 56 or 56 normally retracted by spring 56 The shoes. or clon gated ends 57, 57 of these selector levers cooperate with rollers 58, 58 on the ends of a pivoted shifter member 59 that preferably takes the form of a T-shaped or doublebell-crank lever, pivoted on a frame-piece 60, and the 'pendent arm 61 of which extends between the shoulders of the hubs 62 and 62 fast upon the aXiallV shiftable shaft 47. Thus it will be seen with respect to Fig.

.2 that if the right hand selector arm 56' be swung inwardly, its shoe 57', coiiperat-lngwith the roller 58', will tilt the shifter lever 59 throwing its arm 61 toward the left and thereby shifting the shaft 47 axially to the left to disengage gear 48 from gear 49 and. engage gear 48 with gear 49'. thus disabling the left-hand or one-cent stampwheel and conditioning the right hand or two cent stampwheel for operation when power is applied to the shaft 47. ends'both levers 56, 56 have hubs 67, 67 making lost-motionclutch connection with a'clutch element 63 fast on a control-shaft 64, (functioning as hereafter described) so that when either lever is rocked the shaft is fo'cked but without disturbing the other ever.

Disabling and non-interference means.

For some purposes it is important that one or the other or both of the keys 55, shall at times be disabled to affect the shift ing mechanism, so that, when pressed inwardly, the button will merely slide idly, doing no effective work.

Thus the slide bar 68, rigidly connected with the button 55, (shouldered as at 69 and sliding in guides in the frame) has pivotally supportedthereon an elongated connector pawl 70, normally maintained in raised position by a spring 72, and provided with a shoulder 73, that, as long as the pawl is held raised by. its spring, may engage a stud 74, laterally projecting from the selector lever 56. With the parts in normal position shown in Fig. 1, the rearward movement of the" button 55' causes immediate engagement ofsho-ulder 73 with stud 74 and consequent rocking of the appurtenant selectorlever 56 and shaft 64'. For working said pawls 7 O in unison to move them out of the range of stud 74, a disabling shaft 80 is provided, extending transversely of the stamp section frame, carrying centrally a member 81, of a lost motion clutch that cooperates with kindred elements 82 and 82" otherwise free upon the shaft, each said element having an arm '83 that extends to and overlies the rear end of the appurtenant pawl and each having also a forwardly extending arm 84 or 84. Whenthe shaft is appropriately rocked, counter-clock-wise in Fig. 1, the lost motion clutch will cause both arms 83 and 83 to be depressed and consequently both stamp buttons will have their connector pawls 70, 7 0 depressed so as to be incapable of swinging their 'selectordevers 56, 56. Either section 82 or 82 of such clutch may, however, be rotated, by virtue of the lost motion con nection with clutch member 81, to accomplish this disabling function with respect to its associated stamp butt-on alone without a-ifecting the shaft 80 or the other stamp button. The shaft 80 may be actuated from any suitable power source to effect its disabling action at any desired time, and illustratively, such shaft 80 is shown as controlled'in' its operation by a cam 85 on a shaft 86 of the machine with which the stamp sectionis associated, said cam 85 actingthrough roller shodlever 87, connected with the shaft 80 to rock the shaft to dis- At their upper abling position during substantially the whole cycle of the cam except when the cam is in its normal or resident position. The cam wheel 85 thus typifies a suitable automatic mechanism for causing this disabling of both stamp buttons at predetermined de sired periods. Further, for disabling the two cent stamp button alone, a rocker arm 90 having its ends overlying the pawl 70 is carried by a shaft 91 of the main machine, (Fig. 2) so that when said shaft is rocked, this two-cent stamp button alone is disabled.

Incidentally to the operation of shaft 80 by cam 85, the rocking of shaft 80 may be used to throw shifter arm 59 for the stamp wheel gearing to its left hand position, a lever 88 on shaft 80 carrying a link 89 that has slot and pin connection at 59 with a projection from shifter lever 59 for this purpose.

For insuring that the stamp buttons shall be operable only alternatively, or without interference, I provide interlocking means between the buttons whereby the impressing of one button locks the other against inward movement. Specifically 93 is a T- shaped lever horizontally arranged and pivoted, as at 94, to a suitable frame part 95, said lever having projecting arms 96 and 96 beveled at their ends, and notched as at 97. Each such extremity lies in the path of movement of the shoulder 69 on the slide bar 68 of the contiguous stamp button so that the lever 93 is capable of being swung to the right by operation of the left hand' button and vice versa, its movement to the left under the influence of the right hand button, say, interposing its notched portion 97 in the path of the shoulder'69 of the left hand button, so that the latter cannot be pushed inwardly until the right hand button has been retracted. In this way it is insured that both of the selector levers 56 and 56 may never be pressed backwardly at the same time and by this means also the effect of any effort on the part of the user to press both buttons in simultaneously is confined substantially to the sturdy slide bars, buttons and interposed locking lever, throwing no needless strain on the lighter mechanisms with which said parts are coordinated.

Further, since a complete rotation of the stamp shaft 45 is to result from even a momentary in-pressing of either stamp-button 55 or 55', it is necessary to prevent a transposition of the respectively operative and idle connections of the two stamp wheels with respect to the shaft during the interval of shaft-rotation. To this end the axially shiftable element 46 establishing connection for rotation between stamp shaft 45 and its extension 47 bears a slotted flange 98 having a knife edge at one side of its slot arranged to pass down one side or the other of a fixed knife-edged retaining arm 99. (Figs. 2 and 5) as soon as the shaft 45 starts its rotation. Therefore, until the shaft rotation ing through the orifice 39 in the stamp wheel casing opposite one of the grooves 34 in the stamp wheel (the mechanism here described being of course duplicated with respect to the other wheel). 100 is carried by a link 101 that is pivoted at its upper end for lateral movement should the disk 100, in the absence of stamps on the stamp wheel, drop into the groove 34, and the link is also capable of vertical movement, to operate certain disabling mechanism, there being provided means automatically to give the vertical movement to said link only when the first said lateral movement has taken place. Thus the link 101 is pivotally mounted on a crank arm 102 carried by a shaft 103, the pivoted link being normally drawn by a spring 104 so that its disk 100 rests on the stamp strip. The said shaft 103 carries one element, 105, of a lost motion clutch, the other elements of which are the hubs 106 vand 106 of the two levers 102 and 102. If either of said levers be raised, the appropriate clutch will cause the shaft 103 to be turned, and a crank arm 107 on the extremity of said shaft'will ootiperate with a crank 108 on a suitable shaft 109 to rock said shaft 109 for desired machine-disabling purposes. Also, either stud 110 or 110 of the respective arms .102 or 102 will rock the corresponding lever arm 84 or 84 so as to disable, in the fashion heretofore described, the connection between the appurtenant stamp button and its selective lever, thus insuring that that stamp button cannot efiectively be worked further, although the other stamp button is not disabled.

For elevating the link 101 whenever its exploring wheel 100 has moved laterally because of the absence of stamps from the stamp wheel, apivoted lever 120 is provided, acted on by a spring 121'to hold a roller 122, carried on one'arm of the lever, in engagement with a cam 123 on extension shaft 47 of the stamp-shaft, there being on the This disk the presence of stamps is the disk 100 workother extremity of the lever an upturned then the cam-impelled vibration of lever 120 that occurs during each rotation of the stamp wheel, results in the elevation of the link 101. Said link when raised, is latched in elevated position through the engagement of notch 127 in thelink with a latch abutment 128 of a suitablepawl structure 129.

General combinations and, operation.

It will be understood that a stamp delivery. section providing the features of construction and coiirdination of parts hereinbefore described maybe .used in various stamp or ticket delivering mechanisms, in association with suitable coin controlled parts, preferably, soas to make the complete structure a coin operated vending machine. The specific vending machine construction with which thisstamp-section has been employed is in itself somewhatintricate and involves many features not germane to the present invention, so that, in lieu of illustration of complicated mechanism and merely for purposes of full expression of one useful coordination of all of-theparts heretofore described, in some instances requiring. the presence of instrumentalities thatstructurally form part of the coin-controlled apparatus, Fig. 2 illustratesdiagrammatically only sufficient complemental parts and appliances to indicate one of the many possible utilities of the stamp-section mechanism. Such diagrammatic showing will be described incidentally to the following -resum of the operation of the parts heretofore described.

Assuming that the stamp section is employed in conjunction with a suitable structure intended to receive only 25 cent coins, say, in consideration whereof 24 cents worth of stamps are to i be. delivered by the machine, the coin 150, when inserted in chute l5l'that is normally covered by the chutedoor 152, may close a switch 153 controlling the circuit 154: for a motor 155, which is geared suitably to drive the cam shaft. 86. A latch 156 forv the switch'153, controlled .by a releasing lever157 associated with the cam 158 on the camshaft 86 typifies means for maintaining the circuit 154 closed until the cam shaft has completed .a single revolution, whereupon cam 158, releasing latch 156, will causebreakage of the. circuit and cessation of operation of cam shaft 86. The cam shaft 86 may do any useful work in the vending machine structure, as typified by its illustrated function of opening a coinpassing gate 160 in the chute 151 by the operation of a cam 161 ona'link 162 connected with the gate. Also it operates parts of the stamp section. Thus, during the cyclic operation of this cam shaft its cam 85, as heretofore described, operates arm 87 to rock the shaft 80 thereby to bring the shifter lever59 to left-hand position,

are disabled to operate their respective levers 56 and 56. JVhen cam 85 completes its-cycle of movement, pawls and 70 are restored to operative relation to levers 56 and 56 and the machine is then ready to begin its stamp-delivering operations.

Typifying the fact that the cam shaft 86 may also control in part the-potcntiation of the stamp wheel driving parts for operation, so that an operation of the cam shaft is a prerequisite to delivery of each batch of stamps, the cam shaft 86 is shown as pro vided with a cam 164; that, at the end of the complete cycle or revolution of shaft 86, closes a switch 165 that is included in series with switch 166 in a circuit 167 for a motor 168 that through appropriate gearing drives the stamp shaft 45. This switch 165, cooperating with latc-h 169 will be released, as hereafter described, when a full batch of stamps has been delivered, so that another operation of the cam shaft must precede the delivery of a further batch of stamps. Thus, until the cam shaft has completed its cycle of revolution and so has closed the switch 165, (which is thereupon latched closed by the latching device 169,) the switch 166, itself operated by a lever 170 on control shaft 64, cannot start the motor for the stamp shaft 15.

Referring to the stamp section heretofore described it will be observed that, after the cam shaft 86 has completed its revolution, if either stamp button 55 or 55 be pressed in, the elongated pawl 70 or 70 carried by the button-slide engages the appropriate lever 56 or 56 and rocks the latter rearwardly, so rocking the control shaft 6%. Lever 170 on said shaft thereupon closes the switch 166, completing the circuit for motor 68 and causing the commencement of operation-of the stamp shaft 415. Switch 171 in a shunt connection 172 may be controlled by a cam 173 on the stamp shaft so that when once the circuit for the motor 168 is closed, it remains closed until the stamp shaft has made a complete revolution. Thus, after the preliminary operation of the cam shaft 86, each time either stamp button is pressed in, a complete rotation of the stamp shaft 45 ensues, and if the stamp button be held continuously pressed in, maintaining the circuit 167 closed, then the stamp shaft 15 will continue to rotate uninterruptedly until something (herein indicated as the release of the latch 169 and consequent opening of switch 165) intervenes to discontinue the operation.

It will now be apparent that whenever a proper .coin has been inserted, initiating a single rotation of cam shaft 86, and said shaft has come to rest, potentiating the parts to respond tothe operation of the stamp buttons, the momentary in-pressing of either stamp button will cause a complete single rotation of the stamp shaft 45. Therefore, until the release of the latching device 169 occurs, (this taking place when the 24 credit has become exhausted as hereinafter described) the two stamp buttons may be operated alternatively at will, sothat a user may take all two cent stamps, all ones, or-several twos, some ones, more twos and more ones in any order he pleases. In short until the credit is exhausted the number and order of each variety of stamps taken rests wholly with the will of the user. Both stamp buttons may not be simultaneously pressed in, because the swinging plate 93 can allow only one slide at a time to be pressed in. A

The rotary motion of the stamp shaft 45 is communicated to either the two cent stamp wheel or the one cent stamp wheel, according to the selective operation of the buttons 55 or 55. If button 55 be pressed in, it is the lever 56 which is moved rearwardly, while lever 56 remains idle, owing to the lost motion connection afforded between clutch parts 62 and 63. Consequently shoe 57 of lever 56 operates the shifter lever 59 to throw the gearing parts into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein gear 48 fast on the axially shiftable exten: sion 47 of stamp shaft 45 is engaged with gear 49 to communicate motion through the train 51, 52, 35 to the left hand or one cent stamp wheel 26, the gearing being such that for each complete rotation of the stamp shaft, said wheel 26 deliversa single stamp through the orifice 27. Once shaft 45 starts its rotation, the slotted disk 98 and arm 99 prevent intentional or accidental shifting of the extension shaft 47 until the stamp-shaft rotation is complete and arm 99 again registers with the slot in disk 98. I

The rotary motion of stamp shaft 45 is translated into' a stepping motion of shaft 175, which I term the penny shaft. As the extension shaft 47 shifts to right or left, to cause two cent stamps or one cent stamps, respectively, to be delivered, the shiftable gear connection 46 cotirdinately changes position, to cause the single-arc intermittent gear176 or double-arc gear 176 to mesh with the multiple-arc gear 177 on shaft 17 5 that is to be stepped forward. One step of said shaft 17 5 occurs for each rotation of stampshaft 45 when one cent stamps are being delivered and two steps for each rotation of said stamp shaft 45 when two cent stamps are being delivered.

The shaft 17 5, thus operating step by step, in accordance with the value of the stamps delivered, may perform useful workin connection with computing mechanism or otherwise. For instance, as illustrated the value counter 178 in Fig. 2*, may operate'to inclicate ,at all times the monetary value of the stamps dispensed. Also such shaft may perform useful functions. in limiting the value of stamps dispensed to such amount as is consistent with the coin inserted and also in disabling the two cent stamp delivering mechanism when stamps taken out amount to only one cent less than the maximum amount due. Merely to typify such functions and to indicate that the delivery of stamps may be restricted accurately to the monetary value predetermined (say 24) by the character of the coin employed, said stepping shaft 175 is shown as drivin step by step a shaft 180, through gearing 1 81, by which said shaft 180 is caused to make one full revolution in response to twenty-four steps of shaft 175 in delivering twenty-four cents worth of stamps. The last said shaft 180 is shown as returnable by spring 182 to normal position. It may he stepped forward a predetermined distance for each step movement of shaft 175, and held by a pawl 183 coiiperating with a ratchet 184, on said shaft 180. To insure resetting of said shaft 180 to zero position before the delivery of stamps in consideration of the inserted coin begins, the pawl 183 is shown as releasable by connection 185 operated by the cam 158 in the course of the preliminary cycle of the cam shaft 86. When the shaft 180 reaches'a position twenty three steps in advance of normal, a cam 186 thereon, operating a lever 187 pulls down a link 188 connected to a crank 189 on the shaft 91, and said shaft 91through its lever arm 90 depresses the elongated pawl 7 0 forthe two cent stamp slide so that the operating shoulder 7 3 of said slide, which makes working engagement with the stud 7 4' on the lever 56, is thrown out of engagement or pos sibility of engagement with said stud, and consequently two cent controlling lever 56, if theretofore pressed'in is spring retracted.

.or if theretofore idle is positively disabled,

so that under these conditions, when there.

is only one cent credit left to be exhausted, the two cent stamp button is disabled, but the one cent stamp button is left operative. As the last step movement (the twentyfourth under the present hypothesis) of the shaft 180 is being made its cam 186 by further moving the lever 187 works through suitable lost motion connection 190 to re GO1I1l and a recommencement of the described cyc e.

Should a stamp strip for either stamp wheel become broken, the machine automatically disables the affected portion of the machine preferably in a fashion that will prevent users from inserting coins, as by the locking of the coin-chute door 152, and by disconnecting the affected stamp button from its control .of' the empty stamp wheel.

When either stamp strip becomes broken or exhausted, so that only onelstamp remains to be fed by the appropriate wheel, the groove 34 of said wheel is then left open, and the exploring disk 100 on link 101 finds free passage into the said groove. Consequently when the next rotation of the stamp shaft a7, in delivering the last stamp, causes cam 123, acting through lever 120, to raise said link by virtue of finger 12-1 striking the pin 125 of said link, the lever arm 102 (Fig. 1) is elevated and it is held in elevated position by the engagement of notch 12? in the link 101 with the retaining element 128. The rocking of the shaft 103 occasioned by this movement of lever 102, raises lever 107, so rocking the lever 108 carried by shaft 109 and said shaft, through a latch member 191 (Fig 2 locks the coin door closed. Also this upward movement of lever 102 operates arm 84 of the affected delivery element, so trippingthehelongated pawl or 70, as the case may be, and disabling, as heretofore described, the appurtenant stamp button against operating its lever 56. This, it will be observed, leaves the other stamp button free for operation to cause delivery of stamps to satisfy, as nearly as may be, the credit existing in the machine, but after this transaction the machine may not again be used until the stamps have been replenished, because once the link 101 is raised it is positively latched in raised position at 128, so looking the coin door until an attendant comes to refill the machine and release link 101.

While a particular stamp-section mechanism has been herein described in considerable detail, in conjunction with specificallysuggested instrumentalities illustrative of a coin controlled apparatus for full embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in detail of the mechanical structure of the stamp section might be made without departure from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims, and that mechanical and electrical equivalents and refinements of parts diagrammatically suggested may be employed, within the scope of the claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a handling mechanism for perforated stamp strips, a casing having an entrance opening and an exit opening more than a stamp length removed therefrom, said casing having its peripheral wall between the entrance and exit grooved, and a delivery wheel having rows of projecting pins whereof the tips are separated, circularly, slightly more than normal stamplength andthe butts are separated slightly less, said pins of a row registering with grooves of the casing wall and said casing wall being spaced apart from the wheel to leave a clearance space wherein the stamps may ride at different elevations on the pins, compensating for differences in stamp length.

In a handling mechanism for perforated stamp strips, a casing having an entrance opening and an exit opening provided with a tearing lip at its lower edge more than a stamp length removed therefrom, said casing having its peripheral wall between the entrance and exit grooved, and a delivery wheel having rows of projecting pins whereof the tips are separated, circularly, slightly more than normal stamplength and thebuttsare separated slightly less, saidpins of a row registering with grooves of the casing wall and said casing wall being spaced apart from the wheel to leave a clearance space wherein the stamps may ride at different elevations on the pins, compensating for differences in stamp length, power operated means for rotating said wheel step by step to stop invariably with a row of pins closely confronting said tearing lip of the outlet orifice and means for preventing rotation of the wheel save through said power operating means.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a stamp delivering means, means to operate same, lever means controlling the connection of the operating and delivery means, a manually operable actuating part for said lever means, a connectino pawl for connecting said manually operable part and the lever means, and means to move said pawl out of position for such connection.

l. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a stamp delivering means, means to operate same, lever means controlling the connection of the operating and delivery means, a manually operable actuating part for said lever means, a connecting pawl for connecting said manually operable part and the lever means, and means operable upon rupture of the stamp strip to move said pawl out of position for such connection.

5. In a machine of the character described, a plurality of stamp delivery wheels, common means to operate them, means including a pawl for manually establishing connection of any wheel with the operating means, and means, operable upon absence non-connecting position the pawl appurtenant to the manually operable means for vsuch wheel.

6. In a machine of the character described, a pair of stamp wheels, a drive shaft therefor, shiftable gearing for connecting either wheel to said drive shaft, a pivoted gear shifter having oppositely extending arms, pivoted levers above said arms to depress one or the other when the appropriate lever is moved, and push buttons controlling said levers. 1 i

7. In a machine of the character described, a pair of stamp wheels, a drive shaft therefor, shiftable gearing for connecting either wheel to said drive shaft, a pivoted gear shifter having oppositely extending arms, pivoted levers above said arms to depress either as the appropriate lever is moved, reciprocating manually operable means controlling said levers through connecting pawls and means for throwing said pawls to disconnected position.

8. In a machine" of the character described, a pair of stamp wheels, a drive shaft therefor, shiftable gearing for connecting either wheel to said drive shaft, a pivoted gear shifter having oppositely extending arms, pivoted levers above said arms to depress either as the appropriate lever is moved, reciprocating manually operable means controlling said levers through connecting pawls and means for throwing said pawls to disconnected position, in unison or individually.

9. In a machine of the character described, a control shaft 64, levers mounted thereon, each free to permit the shaft to move and each connected to move the shaft as the lever is moved; gear shifting means controlled by said levers, slide buttons for manual operation and pawls for connecting said buttons and the levers. 10. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair of stamp wheels, an operating shaft therefor, axially shiftable means to vconnect either wheel with the shaft, a vertically pendent lever for said shifter having opposite, laterallyextending arms, pivoted levers above said arms each having a cam foot to coact with the arm, manually operable slides for rocking said levers, and a pivoted T-shaped interlocking plate between said slides to prevent inward movement of either lever while the other stands in-pressed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT P.' SMITH. In the presence of-- Fomin BAIN, MARY F. ALLEN. 

